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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (May 15, 2014)
Over 500 Oregon Pinot Noirs - 60+ from 2012 S NDANCE Eugene City Council is considering an ordinance to make city operations “carbon neutral” by 2020 and to reduce energy in half by 2030. Meanwhile, they are expanding EUG airport and are planning to expand Beltline highway (one option calls for a 11-lane bridge). War is peace, ignorance is strength, widening highways is carbon neutrality. Oregon’s petroleum mostly comes from the Alaska Pipeline, which peaked in 1988 and has dropped three-fourths since. In 2030, we will be lucky to be able to use half our current energy consumption, due to depletion. The “350” campaign to divest from fossil fuel companies is well intentioned but innumerate. Fossil fuels are concentrated, that is why we use them. Growth-based economies (whether capitalist or socialist or any other “ist”) require constant increases of extraction so the loans of today can be paid by the growth of tomorrow. 350.org could set an example by divesting from more grants from the Rockefeller foundation. Building You Owe’s new sports stadiums used large amounts of fossil fuels and mineral ores, without protests from Eugene’s climate groups. Divesting from Nike and timber companies could have more local impact than selling oil company stocks. Our society is interested in math if it involves sports scores, but not limits to growth. Mark Robinowitz PeakChoice.org Eugene NOISE TOWN There have been many complaints and now a grassroots effort for a “quiet zone” in Eugene. Have any of these complainers ever looked up the history of railroad crossings, especially at night, and learned why trains blow their horns? The answer is simple. In the dark, people, cars, vehicles, etc., have often been stupid or confused, and stood in or ran into oncoming trains at crossings. A large enough percentage of accidents happened to cause the whistle- blowing practice. I have to live right next to River Road because our intelligent leaders widened all of River Road, a very long residential street, so that now none of us can sleep at night. They did this against our wishes. It was supposed to be “for the public good,” and now a lot of us can’t sleep or even live next to it. What do we do? Earplugs, noise- resistant window glass. Soundproofi ng. If you do get a “quiet zone” in Eugene, you will be the exception. And it will be you guys who will be responsible for the inevitable folk who get squashed by trains in the dark. Dorothy H. Bucher Eugene SLOW WALKERS The weather is beautiful and there are a lot more pedestrians out, including me. Lately when I cross a street or driveway, I’ve noticed drivers accelerating quickly before there is much room between us. This is something that rarely happened to me until the last several months when my chronic illness worsened, making walking very diffi cult for me, forcing me to signifi cantly pace myself. It is frightening when drivers are impatient and I feel pressured to speed up even though it could cause me to collapse, as I do on occasion. Drivers, please be aware that disabled people exist, whether you can tell we’re disabled or not. We deserve to feel safe no matter how slow we walk or otherwise get around. Casie Clausen Eugene BOZIEVICH’S CLAIMS Is there any limit to the false and fi ctitious claims some incumbents make in order to keep their jobs? West Lane Commissioner Jay Bozievich has been bragging that he brought “500 new jobs” to the Junction City area by landing the new hospital. Such a boast is like the rooster claiming credit for the dawn. Citing and funding that hospital was a state of Oregon administrative and legislative decision. Rep. Val Hoyle did play a role in persisting in the fi nal funding but Bozievich had virtually no authorship of this. What Bozievich CAN claim credit for, however, is personally orchestrating the disastrous and costly hiring of former administrator Liane Richardson and for single handedly crafting an outrageous and highly partisan redistricting “gerrymandering” scheme which would make Chicago city power brokers proud. As a co-founder of the Lane County Tea Party, Bozievich also saw to it to get his fellow Commissioners Faye Stewart and Sid Leiken to dismantle Lane County’s nationally respected Animal Services department and to eliminate both the county’s Human Rights Advisory Committee and its Roads Advisory Committee which had been trying to protect rural residents from potentially cancer and birth defects-causing chemical spraying. Some “experience” is not worth repeating. Kirk Bissell Eugene w ne cellars Evodia2OG9LQH Garnacha “Flavors of smoky dark berries, dark chocolate and candied flowers. $QDPD]LQJYDOXHµSWVInternational Wine Cellars Reg. $11.95 , NOW $9.95 True Myth Chardonnay “A beautiful Chardonnay, loaded with crisp & rich flavors of pear, pineapple, light citrus, vanilla bean, & hints of toasted oak... this kind of quality at a value price is uber rare.” - 91 pts! & “Editor’s Choice”, Wine Enthusiast Reg. $17.95 , NOW $12.95 Souverain Cabernet Sauvignon “Bright and savory, with black cherry accented by black olive and spice.” San Jose Mercury Reg. $17.95 , NOW $9.95 Blacksmith by Forgeron Merlot Dark aromas of cracked black pepper, dried red berries, & hints of caramel followed by rich flavors of intense cherry, dark chocolate & loads of spice - winery notes Reg. $19.95 , NOW $13.95 Offers good while supplies last 0D\LV2UHJRQ:LQH0RQWK Free Hosted 2UHJRQ:LQH 7DVWLQJV Open daily until 7pm 2441 Hilyard Street 0D\Ken Wright May 17 Stanton 0D\ Bethel Heights May 31 Arterberry Maresh www.orwines.com 541.687.9463 Local merchants, the heart of our community Free Hosted Tastings Every Friday & Saturday 5-7 pm ;OL6YLNVU/\THUP[PLZ*LU[LY»Z,UKV^TLU[MVY7\ISPJ6\[YLHJOPU[OL(Y[Z:JPLUJLZHUK/\THUP[PLZ HUK[OL,U]PYVUTLU[HS:[\KPLZ7YVNYHTWYLZLU[ -XVW6XVWDLQDELOLWLHV 5HLPDJLQLQJHTXDOLW\OLYLQJZLWKLQOLPLWV 1\SPHU(N`LTHU <YIHUHUK,U]PYVUTLU[HS7VSPJ`HUK 7SHUUPUN;\M[Z<UP]LYZP[` ;O\YZKH`4H` WT 3PSSPZ/HSS )UHHDQGRSHQWRWKHSXEOLF )ROORZHGE\DERRNVDOHDQGVLJQLQJ ,QIRUPDWLRQHQYVXRUHJRQHGX 9LHZOLYHVWUHDPLQJYLGHRDW FREEDOM FROM RELIGION [PU`\YSJVTRH\W\\O The devil made me do it. It says in Revelations that the anti-Christ will take over the Christian religion. Now the Supreme Court has ruled that we have to be subjected to the chants invoking the God of evil if we wish to attend our local City Council meetings. The First Amendment should also include “freedom from religion.” Vince Loving Eugene LETTERS POLICY: We welcome letters on all topics and will print as many as space allows, with priority given to timely local issues. Please limit length to 200 words and include your address and phone number for our files. Email to letters@eugeneweekly.com, fax to 484-4044 or mail to 1251 Lincoln, Eugene 97401. 0UWHY[ULYZOPW^P[O[OL+LWHY[TLU[VM7SHUUPUN7\ISPJ7VSPJ`HUK 4HUHNLTLU[7774HUK[OL:\Z[HPUHISL*P[PLZ0UP[PH[P]L 7KH8QLYHUVLW\RI2UHJRQLVDQHTXDORSSRUWXQLW\DIðUPDWLYHDFWLRQLQVWLWXWLRQFRPPLWWHGWR FXOWXUDO GLYHUVLW\ DQG FRPSOLDQFH ZLWK WKH $PHULFDQV ZLWK 'LVDELOLWLHV $FW eugeneweekly.com • May 15, 2014 7
